Impregnated electrode for furnace work



- or graphite vnNE,-a citizen of the COAllNG OR PLAS'HC Patented Dec. 1925.

UNITED STATES ravnnn, or menu ruins, NEW YORK, omnrrn COMPANY, 01' mom FALLS.

may Air-BED JERSEY.

Io Drawing.

To all whom it may camera: 7

Beit known that I, HARRY Aim!) LA- United States, residing at Niagara Falls. in the county of Niagara, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Impregnated Electrodes for Furnace Work; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to carbon or graphite electrodes which ma be used to con'- duct current into electric furnaces More particularly, this invention relates tocarbon electrodes which have been imregnated with substances which materially reduce the oxidation which ordinarily takes place during the normal use of such electrodes.

It is well known that carbon orgraphite electrodes used in furnace work-are comparatively short lived, due to the fact that they oxidize readily at the high temperatures which obtain within the furnace. The electrodes rapidly lose weight and they become tapered or pointed. This tapering is very objectionable not only from the standpomt of loss of carbon or graphite at points remote from the are, but also from thestandpoint of reduction in strength of the electrode. These tapered electrodes are weakened in roportion to the degree oftaper and the 'ability of breakage is greatly increased.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide carbon ortgraphite electrodes treated in such a manner that they offer considerable resistance to oxidation. In general, the improved electrodes may be made by impregnating them with a solution or solutions of certain chemical compounds which have a tendency to fuse within the pores of the electrodes when they are subjected to high temperature. I have found that if carbon or graphite electrodes are given a preliminary impregnation with 'a solution or solutions of certain soluble salts the oxidation loss of the electrodes is greatly diminished. The salts used should be those which are not reduced by carbon or graphite or'materially decomposed or volatilized at the temperatures ordinarily at- Application filed February 5,1923. Serial No. 617,176.

"nated graphite electrodes when used under CROSS liLl' USLHoL 1,566,409 PATENT OFFICE.

LSSIGNOB '10 ACEESON NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW tained within the electrodes. It is believed in that the salt, either in fused or decomposed state, partially coats and seals the pores of the electrodes, thus lessening the surface exposed and thereby protecting the electrodes from oxidation.

It has also been noticed, that the are produced with an im regnated electrode is quieter and steadier, ue to the presence of the salt va ors in the arc.

I have ound that beneficial results may be obtained by impregnating the electrodes with a soluble salt such as calcium chloride,- magnesium chloride or borax. As an illustration, phite eleotrodes were im regnated Wit 1 a concentrated solution of orax and then dried. When these electrodes were used in a commercial electric furnace the loss by .oxidation' was markedly less than the usual loss sustained by unimpregthe same conditions.

I have also found that very desirable results may be obtained by giving the electrodes a double impregnation, the object bemg to produce a somewhat refractory material within the res of the electrodes. In eneral, this ob ect ma be attained by giv ng the electrodes a pre imina impregnatlon with a soluble saltof sue a character that it will react with a soluble silicate. The electrodes may then be impregnated with a Md the mteraction of the rst impregna mg medium with the silicate produces a refractory 9 p W- c1 and aluminum I t 1mpregnation above re erregtpfhe relim- 111W e ollowe by an impregnation with an alkaline silicate, suc as sodium silicate.

As an illustration of the double impre nation referred to, orous electrodes, su h as carbon and graphite electrodes, have been impregnated with aluminum chloride, and subsequently impregnated with sodium silicate. At normal tem eratures'some aluminum silicate is forme and at the temperatures which obtain within an electric furnace, this action becomes complete. It is also possible that the resulting refractory material may be partly composed of a double silicate of sodium and aluminum. This refractory material coats the pores of the electrodes and protects the electrodes from oxidation.

The impregnation may be carried out by any of the methods ordinarily used, either with or without the use of heat, vacuum and ressure. In fact, a beneficial result may obtained by merely brushing the impregnating solution .onto the electrodes which will readily absorb one or more coats of the solution. 4 f A larger quantity of salt may be carried into the pores of the carbon or graphite electrode, than would ordinarily be the case, by use of a superheated saturated solution 'of the salt. This condition is brought about by charging the retort with a saturated solution of the salt, together with sutficient additionalsalt to produce a saturated solution at a much higher temperature than the boiling point of the solution at atmospheric pressure. The retort is then sealed, and the surrounding temperature raised. The steam generated in the retort builds up an internal presure in the retort, and the temperature of the solution being raised, it is capable of taking the additional salt in solution, thus raising the boiling point of the solution. In

. this manner, the degree of saturation of the solution is regulated by the operating pressure of the retort.

In regard to the double impregnation itis, of course, immaterial whether the electrodes are impregnated first with the soluble I salt and then with the soluble silicate, or whether this order of impregnation is reversed.

Double impregnation may also be pract'ced by im re natin se aratel with two l p a g P y 'i mpregnating the article with a soluble salt,

salts of difi'erent melting points which do not necessarily react with each other. One salt is so chosen that it melts at a low red heat, which is the point at which oxidation of carbon or graphite starts. As salts and compounds which have a low melting pomt are volatilized or decom osed at a relatively low temperature, this sa t will not glve full protection at the higher temperature. Accordingly, if the electrode be impregnated with a second salt, melting at a point close to the decompositionor volatilization point of the first salt, better rotection wi ll be obtained, as the decomposition or volat1hzation point of the second salt will be proportionately higher.

It is to be understood that this 1n 1p.'oved method of treating electrodes to increase their resistance to oxidation maybeapphcd to any porous articles with l ke desirable results.- The invention is not limited to the articular embodiments herein described, at is intended to include such modifications 'thereof formed by the interaction of a 501- thereof as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

The term porous electrode as used in this application is intended to include carbon an graphite electrodes, both of which are porous, and therefore well adapted to be 1 impregnated in the manner herein described.

I claim 1. A porous electrode for furnace work, having a refractory compound in the pores thereof formed by the interaction of two soluble compounds. I

2. A porous electrode for'furnace work, having a refractory compound in the pores uble salt and a. soluble silicate.

3. A porous electrode for furnace work, having an insoluble silicate in the pores thereof formed by the interaction of a soluble salt and a soluble silicate.

4. A porous electrode for furnace work impregnated at least partially with two. chemical compounds having different melting points. 4

5. A porous electrode for furnace work, having the pores thereof at least partially filled with an insoluble silicate formed by the interaction of a soluble chloride and a soluble silicate. I

6. A porous electrode for furnace work, having the pores thereof at least artially filled with a silicate formed by t e interaction of aluminum chloride and an alkaline silicate. p

7. A porous electrode for furnace work, having the pores thereof at least filled with borax. f

8. The process ofincreasing the resistance of porous articles to oxidation at high temeratures which consists in at least partially and subsequently impregnating the article with a soluble silicate.

9. The method of producing an insoluble refractory-compound within the pores of an article which consists in, impregnating the article with a soluble chloride, and'subsequently impregnating the article with a soluble silicate. 10. The method-of producing an insoluble refractory compound within the pores of an article which consists in subjecting the artipartially 

